Coal cutter and loader



March 6, 1928.

C. B. OFFICER COAL CUTTER AND LOADER Filed De@V 4, 1925 III..

Patented Marf 6, 1928.

UNITED STATESl PATENT orifice..`

CHARLES BRAND OFFICER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T SULLIVAN MACHIN- ERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

co'AL CUTTER AND LOADER.

Application ined December 4, 1925.A serial No. 73,179.

This invention relates to mining apparatus and more particularly to meehamsm for mining coal.

The main object of the invention 1s to provide apparatus for simultaneously undercutting the coal at lthe mine face and loading along the face while the cutting operation progresses. A further object of the invention` is to embody in such Vapparatus a coal cutting machine of standard type, thereby increasing the utility of ysuch machines while keeping cost of manufacture low. Another object of the invention is to so arrange the cutting and loading mechanisms that the feeding mechanism for the cutting mechanism will serve in connectionwith the loading mechanism also and the driving i mechanism of the cutting machine be made to serve for driving the `loadingdevice. Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description.

The invention accordingly resides in the organization and details of construction, or the equivalents thereof, through `which the foregoing objects .are attained as hereinafter more specifically described and then defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates one form of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the apparatus embodying my invention. Y Y f Fig. 2 is a rear elevationfshowing the relation of the conveying mechanism to the body of the machine. j

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view through one of the conveying arms or vancs on the line 3 3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Y p n In the presentV instance the invention is illustrated in combination .with a standard coal cutting machine of the room and pillar type comprising an elongated body having a rigidly projecting cut-ter bar 11 at one end which carries the usual orbitally movable cutter chain 12. The Vmachine is moved over the mine bottom by the usual flexible haulage means, in this instance, a chain 13 which passes over` a drive sprocket 14` and is reeved over guide pulleys 15, 16, 17 in the manner shown in the drawing and as usual with thetype of machine illustrated. As the coal cutter per se does not constitute part of the invention except as it cooperates with the novel mechanism to be described and is in the` present instance positioned .at an inclination or angle to a horizontal transverse plane through the body as clearly shown in Fig. 2. By this arrangement lof the plate 18 one edge thereof. along one longitudinal side of the body is broughtinto position to contact with the ground or mine Y floor onwliich the body of the machine rests, this ground contacting edge being 0n the advancing side `of the machine.v The annular plate 18 is secured to the bodyof the machine by flanges 19,`Fig. 3, which are olfset from the surface of the plate vin the manner to form a groove or channel 20 adja-v cent the machine body. The groove 2O serves to receive the lower portion of a guide member 2l also secured to the body of the machine and forming a T-shaped guide track in which is received correspondingly shaped slide blocks 22 to which are attached the conveyor arms or vanes 23, the lower edges of which are thus positioned in contact with 'the upper 'face of the annular plate 18. The guide blocks 22A are connected to one another by parallel links 24- in lthe samemanner as a sprocket chain, thus forming a flexible carrying member for the arms 23. The flexible carrying member described 'is driven from the feeding mechanism of the machine through gearing, the Y irst gear 25 of which is formed beneath the sprocket 14. An intermediate idler gear 26 connects gear 25 to a third gear 27 which is fixed on a shaft,v carrying the bevel pinion 28. Pinion 28 in turn`drives the pinion 29 which is fixed to ashort shaft having the same inclination as plate 18, which shaft has a drive sprocket 30 vwhich engages the links 24 of the iiexible conveyor composed of the blocks 22, arms 23 and links 24. vThrough this train of gearing the flexibleconveyor carrying the arms 23 is drivenin a counterclockwise direction during movement of the machine over the mine bottom. The plate 18 over which thearms 23 move is cut-away at the rear of the machine as shown inV Fig.

l and a face conveyor 31 is adapted to be positioned beneath the cutaway portion to receive material discharged therefrom for conveyance in any desired direction. On the advancing Vside of the machine at the rear thereof plate 18 is preferably provided along its outer edge with a Wall plate 3Q enclosing the turn and designed to prevent discharge of material from plate 1S as it ynieves around the rear end of the machine prior to arrival at the gap in the plate.

In the operation of the machine above described the haulage chain is arranged as usual in feediner a room and pillar machine and the cutter ar is sumped and the face undercut in the usual way. After an initial kerf has been cut the machine is brought back to the rib and the haulage chain re-laid along the face in thekerf just cut with its surplus lengthbrought out adjacenty this rib. The'coal is'then shot, after which suiiicient vspace is cleared at the rib and the surplus length of chain referred to is anchored at the face. This portion of the chain is then used to sump the machine into the new face. The chain is then released from its sumping anchor and the end of the feed chain at the far rib is dug out of the loose coal and anchored at that rib. It is then possible to feed the machine across the face in the usual way. As the machine progresses during cutting of successive kerfs, the body of the machine will ,travel in the path of the previous kerf and therefore of the loose coal and the loading mechanism will engage and deliver this to the conveyor 3l ,as the cutter bar forms the next kerl' in the face. In this manner the combined cutting and loading operation is made possible Without materiallyT altering the manner of use of the room and pillar machine. l

lVliile I have in this application specilically described one form which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a coal mining apparatus7 the combination with amachine body movable laterally over a mine bottom, of kerf cutting means and material handling means carried by the body, said material handling means having a material engaging portion coextensive with said body at the advancing side of the latter, and each of said means initially engaging material along parallel laterally adjacent paths and each operative to clear its path as the machine body advances.

s In coal mining apparatus, the combinationfwith a machine body movable laterally over a mine bottom, of kerf cutting means and material handling meanscarried by the body and positioned to work in unison along laterally adjacent; paths, said material engaging means being ell'ective to clear a path for said body and said'licrf cutting means being effective to cut and clear its path. as said body advances.

3:). In coal mining apparatus, the combination with a machine body laterally movable over a mine bottom, of' herf cutting means and material handling means carried by the body and positioned to work in unison along laterally adjacent paths, said material engaging means being effective to clear a path for said body and said kerf cutting means being eii'ective to clear its path as said body advances, the portions of said cutting and said handling means initially engaging the material being in substantially the same horizontal plane. j

1l. ln coal mining apparatus, the combination with a machine body, ot' 4kerf cutting mechanism and material handling mechanism carried by the body in position to engage material along parallel laterally adjacent paths coextensive with the ajiparatus and means `l'or causing movement of the apparatus along said paths and simultaneously driving both said cutting and material handling mechanisms, each of said mechanisms befng operative to clear its path as the machinebody advances.

5. In coal mining apparatus, the combination with a machine body, of kei-f cutting mechanism and material handling mechanism 'carried by the body in position to cngage material along parallel laterally'adja cent paths coextensive with the apparatus, and means comprising a source of power carried by said body for causing movement of the apparatus along said paths andr sinmltaneously driving both said cutting and material handling mechanisms, each olt said mechanisms being operative to clear its path as the uiachine body advances.

(l. ln mining apparatus, the combination with a mining machine comprising a body and a cutter bar projecting horizontally therefrom, of material conveying means carried by said body having a material engaging portion extending in the same plane as the cll'ectivc edge of said cutter bar and eil'ective to clear a path extending throughout a space coextensive with said body.

7. In mining apparatus. the combination with a mining machine comprising a body and a cutter bar projecting horizrnitally therefrom, of material'conveying means carried by said'body having a material engaging portion traveling in a direction away from said cutter bar and extending in the same 'plane as the 'effective edge of said cutter bar and effective to clear a path extendinrf throughout a space coextensive with said body.

llU

8. In mining apparatus, the combination "with a mining machine comprising a body anda cutter bar projecting horizontally therefrom, of material conveying means carried by said body having a. material engaging portion extending in the same plane and in the same direction .as the effective edge of said cutter bar and effective to clear a path extending throughout a space Vcoexteni sive with said body.

9. In mining apparatus, the combination with a mining machine comprising a body and a cutter bar proJecting horizontally therefrom, of material conveying means carried by said body having a material engaging portion extending throughout one side of the body in a line parallel to the effective edge of said cutter bar and traveling in a direction away from said cutter bar, said material conveying means being operative to clear a path for said body as the latter advances. l

10. In mining apparatus, the combination with a mining machine comprising a body and a cutter bar projecting horizontally therefrom, of material conveying means encircling the body and having a material engaging portion extending throughout one side of the body and traveling in a direction away from the cutter bar, said material conveying means being operative to clear a path for said body as the latter advances.

11. In mining apparatus, the combination With a mining machine comprising a body and a cutter bar projecting horizontally therefrom, of material conveying means encircling the body and having a material engaging portion extending throughout one side of the body and traveling in they same plane as the effective edge of said cutter bar.

12. In mining apparatus, the combination with a mining machine lcomprising a body and a cutter bar extending horizontally therefrom and provided with an oibitally movable cutter chain, of movable conveying means encircling said body and having a material engaging portion at one side'of' said body, said conveyinni means and cutter chain traveling in the'same direction during operation, and said conveying means being effective to clear the entire path for said body as the latter advances.v

13. In mining apparatus, the combination with mining p machine having an oblong body, a cutter bar'projecting horizontally at one end of the body, and means for moving the machine laterally over the mine bottom, of` conveying means carried bythe 'body comprising a conveyor movable in an `orbit surrounding the body and having a material engaging portion at one side of' the body extending throughout the length thereof and lying in the same plane as'tlie cutter bar. v

14. In mining apparatus, the combination with a coal cutting machine having an elongated body movable laterally overthe mine bottom, of gathering mechanism carried by the body and having a material engaging i portion on the advancing side of said body `substantially equal in length thereto and. op-

erative to clear a path for said body asvthe latter advances. y

`15. In` miningapparatus, the combination with a coal cutting machine having an clon-- gated body movable laterally over the mine bottom, oi' gathering mechanism carried by the body and comprising mechanism for engaging material during movement of said body throughout a path equal to the length of the body to clear a` path for the latter and conveying said material beyond one end of' said body.

16. In mining apparatus, the combination of a machine body movable over a mine bottom and a conveyor carried by said `bod and movable in an inclined orbit surroun ing the body and having a material engaging edge disposed in substantiallythe plane of the mine bottom, and cutting mechanism carried by said body including a plane cutter bar disposed in substantially the same' plane as and parallel vwith said material engaging edgeof said conveyor and operative to cut a kerf during loading by said conveyor of material previously undercut.

Y 17. In mining apparatus, the combination of an elongated machine bodyand'a Conveyor carried thereby and movable in an orbit surrounding said body, said conveyor having a ground contacting portion extending substantially throughout one longitudinal side of said body and an elevated portifon on the opposite longitudinal lside thereo 18. In mining apparatus, the combination With an elongated machine body of an annular plate surrounding the body and carried by the sides thereof, and an endless conveyor comprising a series of' va-nes movable over said plate, a portion of the edge of said plate parallel with the longitudinal axis of the body being in position to contact with the c ground substantially throughout the length of said body. y Y

19. In a mining apparatus, the combination With a machine body slidable on its bottom on the mine bottom, or kerf cutting mechanism including a cutter bar projecting horizontally therefrom in substantially the plane of the min-e bottom, and material gathering mechanism on said body having a material engaging edge eoextensivewith the length of said body and substantially in contact with the mine bottom, said material gathering mechanism vbeingr Operative tor bination with amachine body slidable on` its bottom on the naine bottom, of korf cuttact with the mine bottom and in substantially the same plane as said cutter bar, said gathering mechanism beiner operative to clear a path for said body as the latter advances while said cutter bar clears a path for itself.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature.

CHARLES BRAND OFFICER.

CERTIFECATE QF CURRJGTMNQ Paten No. LLf. @famed Marsh @L 1928, t0

CHARLES BRAND FFCER.

It is hereby cesfied hm @raw @www im Mw gm'ned specification the above nszsmbsmd @Mem requin-mg wmemiim as ninms; Page 3, line H8, claim 19, for the ww@ "Gf" read and mat im saf Leers Patent should be read wim :Lf'zls czorfzion aemim that the same may conform to the record of the case n she Panam Gfce.

Sgmed and seaed this 27m day of March, A D. 928

` M. lf. Moore, Seal. Acing smmisonx' oi aents. 

